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- Porsche Tunnel Mode, GTD vs GT3 RS, Ford’s China Warning
Porsche Tunnel Mode, GTD vs GT3 RS, Ford’s China Warning
PLUS: Hemi V8 Returns, Best of Tokyo, Another Ford Recall
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2025-11-03
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Releases & Reviews
The road-legal GTD channels Ford’s GT3 program with carbon bodywork, a rear transaxle, and Multimatic spool‑valve dampers, squaring up to the GT3 RS’s drag‑reduction aero and rear‑steer precision. The test weighs lap pace, adjustability, and everyday tolerance to crown a track‑day king.
A refined daily with real bite, the S3 balances eager turn‑in and a compliant ride with superbly supportive seats and good visibility. The review praises its decisive power delivery and dual‑clutch response, while noting anonymous styling and a cabin that leans conservative over flashy.
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Technology, Market Data & Analysis
Jim Farley warns Chinese automakers could “serve the entire North American market” with existing capacity and “put us all out of business,” likening today’s China to 1980s Japan “on steroids.” He lauds their low‑cost EVs, underscoring U.S. makers’ urgency on cost, software, and supply chains.
Toyota says its solid‑state battery program remains “on schedule,” targeting a production EV by 2028. The cells promise higher energy density, smaller packs, and dramatically faster charging, but the company hedges on where they land first—halo hypercar or mainstream model—while cost, durability, and manufacturing scale remain open questions.
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Car Culture
On Hagerty, “Capturing Car Culture” opens a vast motorsport photo archive, revealing the workflows that preserve negatives and digitize decades of racing history. Curators unpack stories behind iconic shots - drivers, teams, circuits - showing how meticulous cataloging, restoration, and context keep ephemeral trackside moments alive for future enthusiasts and researchers.
Honda’s S2000 CR strips away frills for uncompromised track focus: stiffer suspension, stickier rubber, added bracing, and prominent aero with fewer creature comforts. The write‑up celebrates its singular mission, turning laps with tactile steering and a frenetic redline, while conceding the roadster asks owners to tolerate noise and firmness.
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Miscellaneous
Jeep issued recall 68C, effectively revisiting prior fixes for Wrangler 4xe (2020–2025) and Grand Cherokee 4xe (2022–2026) after continued fire incidents. Internal documents cite high‑voltage battery cells susceptible to separator damage that can trigger thermal events, prompting yet another remedy cycle and scrutiny of supplier quality controls.
Porsche’s patent envisions “Tunnel Mode” that detects an upcoming bore via navigation and sensors, then drops windows, opens exhaust valves, and commands a downshift for maximum acoustics. Convertibles add a second option to retract the roof, turning any tunnel run into a curated, grin‑inducing audio experience.
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Quick Links
The track-only 2026 Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak swaps in a supercharged 354‑ci Hemi, drops 100 pounds (45 kg) versus the old Challenger Drag Pak, is limited to 50 cars, and carries a $26,000 NHRA win bounty.
Toyota’s next-gen Corolla hybrid pairs a new e‑motor with a 1.5‑liter engine for a 10–20% economy boost, while a GR-bound turbo 2.0‑liter is being developed targeting up to 395 hp (295 kW).
An iSeeCars analysis finds nearly 30% of Land Rover Discovery Sport owners resell within a year, with Porsche models also topping early turnover lists as luxury buyers swiftly churn despite depreciation.
Chris Forsberg’s team unveils a SEMA-spec Nissan Patrol with 1,000 hp (746 kW), aggressive widebody styling, and heavy-duty hardware to turn the traditionally rugged SUV into an outrageous, show-ready performance rig.
Infiniti’s Americas VP says a rear‑drive sedan arrives by 2027 with driver‑first dynamics, putting performance ahead of plushness and leaving a manual transmission on the table rather than reviving the old Skyline.
Debuting at the Tokyo Mobility Show, the Performance‑B STI concept pairs a flat‑four with a six‑speed stick, flared arches, and a towering wing, hinting Subaru may revive a WRX STI‑style hatchback.
Regulators detailed two fixes: 14,843 F‑150 Lightning trucks for rear lightbar failures and 64,938 Ford Flex SUVs for front door panel detachment, plus a separate 34,481‑unit service‑parts recall covering remanufactured 10R80 automatic transmissions.
An expansive roundup spotlights a concept‑heavy Japan Mobility Show—funky pods, radical aero, and near‑production Hondas—underscoring fewer full debuts but plenty of tech teasers and design statements from Japan’s biggest brands.
On carwow, the 518 hp (386 kW) 911 GT3 RS earns praise for outrageous DRS‑enabled aero and track pace but draws critique for road harshness, price, and usability versus a standard GT3.
Top Gear turns a $700,000 armored SUV into Halloween theater, demonstrating ballistic glass, run‑flat tires, CS‑gas dispensers, and electrified door handles while cheekily testing post‑apocalypse cleanup tools and daily‑drive practicality.
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